I've been creating a series of December/Holiday tutorial videos over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube! The tutorial posted for December 21, 2020, the Bethlehem Star Card, needed a template to simplify the project. The file below if free for your personal use. It will easily fit on the front of a 5x7 inch card. 

Please right-click on the image to download it. Please click on a link above to your favorite social media site to see a step-by-step video of the project. 

Happy Holidays!

Three examples of white lettering with a fourth using metallic ink instead

In the video below, I demonstrate using Faber-Castell's Big White Pen to create letters on dark backgrounds and then using PITT Artist pens to do a bit of embellishing—so much fun!

This technique will work on envelopes, scrapbook pages and paper, kraft paper tags and just about any other dark paper. I'm going to try this on fabric next!

The "joe & alice" envelope is the same technique but using a metallic marker instead of white.

Just think of the possibilities!

Happy lettering, y'all. Let me know if you use this technique! I love to see what you come up with.

After cruising around Chinatown on foot, we decided to catch a cable car and head over to the docks to look around. We landed at Fisherman's Wharf.

Watercolor and pen

Is it touristy? Yes!

Is it fun? Yes! In a touristy kind of way.

Dancin' Crab, Clock Tower at the Ferry Building and the Souvenir of Choice Watercolor and Ink

And once you've been, you've been. There's no real reason to go back unless you're 12 years old and want to play in the arcade.

The dancing crab is a sculpture out in the very front of the wharf that's about 12 feet tall, pedestal and all. Behind the crab is the clock tower at the Ferry Building. I believe the ferry goes to Sausalito, but we didn't go so I could be wrong.

The little plush toy seem to be the souvenir of choice and he was awfully cute! If I'd had more room in my luggage.....anyway, I saw several being toted around under the arms of small children.

There was a Ghirardelli's Chocolate place in there....and a sourdough bread restaurant!

Boudin Sourdough Restaurant Yum! Watercolor and Ink

There may be better sourdough bread places in San Francisco, but I gotta tell you, Boudin's was good! We were cold and tired. The rustic tomato soup with cheese and croutons in a bread bowl couldn't have tasted any better. I also purchased a "lunchbox" loaf so we could have sourdough bread toasted for breakfast!

We wandered over to see if there were any sea lions (this link is a live cam to look at the sea lions! You can choose the sea lions, Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge) out of the water....judging by the crowd and the laughter, we knew we were in luck....

Pier 39 Sea Lions Watercolor and Ink

...and this may be a good enough reason to go back—to sketch and paint these curmudgeonly like creatures! Grumpy, rude, cantankerous they may be, they're still quite entertaining to watch! They were also much harder to draw than I expected them to be!

The flag does not actually fly in this area....artistic license in play.

Finished up our day by eating a pizza in a small restaurant not far from our cottage. Had my first glass of Prosecco wine. Not bad, it took the edge off, but I still like riesling better. We went around to the market and purchased a bunch of daffodils for the cottage, some chocolate for KJ and coffees for both of us before heading up the hill for the evening.

And last but not least, a very short video starring none other than the grumpy, barkin' boys from the sketch above.

Chris and I managed to get away this weekend and we headed down to Venice Beach because it was a rainy, windy, overcast kinda day—our kind of day at the beach! In another lifetime, I would have wanted the sun to shine so I could tan, but I've learned there is a certain beauty at the beach that can only be found on days like this.
Unless, we're having hurricane force winds, the Gulf of Mexico seldom gets in an uproar. The waves were stronger than normal, but certainly not ferocious. The rocks are placed at strategic points on the beach to limit beach erosion.
We weren't really prepared to go as it was a spur-of-the-moment kind of decision. We didn't have any dry clothes, towels, chairs or any of the other usual beach paraphernalia. Just us, my little point-n-shoot camera and a strong desire to feel the wind blowing across the water.

Why is it that fresh fruits seem to taste better when it's so darn hot?! Is it that little bit of coolness or the sweetness or the crunch? Maybe it's the distraction from the heat. Whatever it is, these blueberries were deemed special enough to gain entrance into the sketchbook!

Watercolor and Ink in Hand•book Watercolor Sketchbook 8.5 x 3.5 inches Click to enlarge

I made a Blueberry Poundcake this past Sunday. Chris toted 3/4s of the cake out the door on his way to work Monday morning. The plate came back empty Tuesday evening.

Only two people work in his shop.....

Blueberries are so much fun to paint that I thought I'd share the process with you! I use M. Graham watercolors in the video and I've gotta tell you, the more I use them, the more spoiled I become! In case you didn't know, M. Graham has just relaunched their web site and they also have a Facebook page.

Take a look and let me know what you think!

When you find a new tool this good—you just have to tell everybody!!

Disclaimer: I nor Imaginary Trips are associate or affiliated with Duke Pens. Purchase and use at your own risk.

Not only is Spring finally getting underway, the Spring Schedule for Imaginary Trips has been posted!

We'll be going on "An Imaginary Visit to the Garden!" starting Thursday, April 14th and the Artful Journaling classes, Foundations and Explorations are starting on Tuesday, April 19th!

Come join in the fun! For more information, you can visit the links above or visit the i•Trav•e•logue here.

Waterbrushes are one of my very favorite tools! A waterbrush is simply a brush tip attached to a hollow tube that you place water in. Making a mark with a waterbrush is every bit as spontaneous as making a mark with a pencil or pen. You no longer have to tote water with you everywhere you go because it's right there in the brush handle! You'll also find that it allows for greater creativity because there's no set up or clean up.

Waterbrushes do take some getting used to and they present their own unique challenges. Pull out an old failed painting or a scrap of watercolor paper and PLAY with your waterbrush before attempting to create a piece of work with one. Once you learn their personalities and how to make that work to your advantage, I think you'll find them to be wonderful inventions!

The i•Trav•e•logue newsletter from Imaginary Trips is now posted announcing new classes dates for the Artful Journaling classes as well as a possible "mini-class!" Check it out!

The new Painted Thoughts Studio……



All because of a bad light! The work will be continuing in the background as there is still much to be done. Installing the crown molding, working on the fireplace, window treatments, painting the taboret (which is not in the photos) and recovering the chair, are just a few items still to be done. If you're interested in the old studio, you can click here as I haven't had time to update the photos.

Hope you enjoy and please share your thoughts and comments!